Description
Creamy homemade tomato soup blends garden-fresh ingredients with rich, comforting flavors. Classic Italian herbs and ripe tomatoes create a soul-warming dish you’ll savor with crusty bread and pure delight.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 (28 oz / 794 g) cans whole peeled tomatoes
- 2 cups vegetable broth
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tbsps tomato paste
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 tsp dried basil
- ½ tsp dried oregano
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 2 tbsps olive oil
- ½ cup heavy cream (or full-fat coconut milk for dairy-free)
- Fresh basil leaves, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Aromatics Preparation: Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Sauté onions until translucent, then add minced garlic and cook briefly to release its fragrant oils.
- Flavor Development: Stir in tomato paste, caramelizing to deepen the sauce’s complexity. Crush whole canned tomatoes, incorporating vegetable broth and seasonings like sugar, dried basil, oregano, salt, and black pepper.
- Simmering Process: Bring to a quick boil, then reduce heat to low. Allow the mixture to simmer gently for 20 minutes, allowing flavors to meld and intensify.
- Texture Refinement: Use an immersion blender or transfer to a standard blender, puréeing until achieving a smooth, velvety consistency. If using a standard blender, return soup to the pot after blending.
- Finishing Touch: Fold in heavy cream, warming gently over low heat without boiling. Ensure the soup remains creamy and rich without scorching.
- Serving Presentation: Pour into serving bowls, garnish with fresh basil leaves. Accompany with crusty artisan bread or a grilled cheese sandwich for a complete, comforting meal.
Notes
- Prevent Burning Base: Stir onions and garlic constantly to avoid scorching, ensuring even caramelization and preventing bitter flavors from developing.
- Control Tomato Paste Intensity: Caramelize tomato paste slowly, watching color change from bright to deep rust-red, which signals enhanced flavor concentration without burning.
- Manage Blending Technique: When using standard blender, fill only halfway and remove center lid piece, covering with towel to prevent hot soup explosion and ensure smooth, safe puréeing.
- Customize Cream Consistency: Adjust heavy cream quantity based on desired richness – less cream for lighter soup, more for indulgent texture; can substitute with alternative milk for dietary preferences like dairy-free or vegan options.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Appetizer
- Method: Sautéing
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 5
- Calories: 175
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 400 mg
- Fat: 12 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 14 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 25 mg